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Soumi Sarkar
Best Pruning Shears
Felco F2 Pruner
Pruning shears are an essential gardening tool for trimming and giving your plants room to breathe as needed. “I carry prune shears everywhere I go,” says plant stylist and designer Weslie Etienne Pierre, owner of Wesleaf Designs and Decor. “I always have one in my bag. You never know when you need to snip something, cut something, pull something.” Eierman and Morrell agree that Felco is the brand to buy when it comes to a good pair of pruning shears. Eierman always has a couple of pairs of Felco pruners on hand.
Best Affordable Pruning Shears
Fiskars Bypass Pruning Shears
If you’re not ready to drop quite so much on pruning shears, longtime House Beautiful gardening contributor Arricca Elin SanSone recommends these durable and sturdy pruners as a more affordable buy. One of her pairs has lasted her about 10 years of gardening. “I have two pairs, and I don’t worry about losing them like I do the more expensive Felco pruners,” she says. “It’s easy to set your pruners down when working and lose track of them.” This Fiskars pair is less expensive to replace.
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Best Pruning Saw
Silky Pocketboy Folding Saw
Both Eierman and Morrell recommend this pruning saw for smaller gardening tasks. It folds neatly for safe storage and features large teeth for cutting through undergrowth smoothly, saving you—and your elbow—a lot of work.
Best Vertical Planter
FONTOI 23.6″ Tall Planter, Set of 2
Part of making sure your flowers are happy is finding the right pot or planter to put them in. These plastic vertical planters are ideal for plants that prefer moist soil and look very chic in person, even though they’re made of plastic. “I was looking for a tall planter to grow flowers and opted for this set because it has an insert shelving tray, making it easier on your back to plant, and drainage holes,” Senior Commerce Editor Marina Liao says. “My wildflowers are sprouting wildly in one planter, while my other shrub from Lowe’s is thriving and looks beautiful in the second planter. For how much they cost, these plastic containers actually look very cute in real life. I’m thinking about getting another set!”
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Best Beginner’s Potting Soil
FoxFarm Happy Frog Potting Soil
Don’t know which potting soil to buy? Start with this well-balanced, nutrient-rich blend, which Liao uses on all her indoor and outdoor plants. She says, “I’ll credit my husband here, he bought this for our houseplants, and they all love the soil, so when it came time for outdoor potting, we used the same one. The soil contains beneficial soil microbes and mycorrhizal fungi, and whether it be our indoor pothos or outdoor cherry tomato seeds, they have all thrived in the soil, so I call Happy Frog a miracle worker.”
Best Compact Leaf Blower
DEWALT Brushless Handheld Blower
Come spring and fall, when your garden is littered with leaves or bits of pollen, it’ll feel impossible to rake up the debris. That’s when you bring out the leaf blower. “Even though I live in NYC, where it’s not known for its nature, I am still surprised by all the random plant matter that ends up in our space! We got this leaf blower for our deck and backyard, and I love it!” Liao says. “It’s small—it could fit in a NYC closet easily—not too loud, and is plenty powerful to gather all the leaves into a neat pile for me to sweep up. I like how lightweight it is (5.4 pounds!) so that I feel like I am controlling it, and not the other way around.”
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Best Garden Knife
Barebones Hori Hori Ultimate Garden Knife
This Japanese garden knife is a secret weapon for removing stubborn weeds from a garden. Its serrated edge cuts through the tough ground, and the one-inch markings on the back show you how deep into the soil you’re digging. Master gardener emeritus Charlotte Wiggins uses it like a tiny version of a pickaxe to pop out rocks in her garden.
Best Bypass Lopper
Corona Forged Steel Compound Bypass Lopper
Eierman describes these bypass loppers as lightweight but sizable enough to get a hold of whatever she needs to trim. With a good bite to match, these are helpful for trimming dead or diseased branches.
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Best Garden Clippers
Felco Model 322 Snips
In addition to its pruning shears, Felco’s snips have earned a place in the pro’s arsenal. Eierman says they come in handy for smaller, more careful cuts. “They’re like harvesting scissors that are really nice if you’re doing your tomatoes or cucumbers,” Morrell says. “They’re very nice even for deadheading flowers.”
Best Garden Hose
Water Right 25-Foot Hose
Whether you have a large area to cover or don’t want to make frequent trips with the watering can, a hose is a vital gardening tool. SanSone recommends this hose as an investment due to its durability and ease of maneuvering. “This brand is lightweight, so you’re not dragging dead weight behind you when watering halfway across the patio,” SanSone says.
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Best Veggie and Fruit Basket
Fiskars Garden Harvest Basket
Ideal for gathering your harvest, this basket features colander sections to drain water, allowing you to rinse your fruits, vegetables, and herbs the moment you bring them inside. “It also holds a bountiful amount of produce, so you can really load it up,” SanSone says. “The handles fold back out of the way, too. I have several harvest baskets, but this is the one I always reach for.”
Best Grow Light
Aspect Gen 2 LED Grow Light
Many grow lights look too cold and industrial to add to your indoor garden’s aesthetic, but the elegant design of this one combines effectiveness and style. “It’s one I don’t mind showing off because it’s actually handsome,” SanSone says.
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Best Casting Fertilizer
Wiggle Worm 100% Pure Organic Worm Castings Fertilizer
Level up your fertilizer game with Mother Nature’s Miracle-Gro: worm castings. Keeping your plants’ soil healthy is essential to a flourishing garden, and Wiggins says these castings are a powerful addition. “If I have a sick plant, I will give it a couple of teaspoons of worm castings, and I swear to you the plant recovers,” Wiggins says. “So it’s kind of like my medicine for my plants.”
Best Affordable Gardening Gloves
SHOWA Atlas 370 Garden Club Gloves
Eierman prefers these gloves because they have a good grip and are still protective. Pierre says when selecting gardening gloves, look for a pair with rubber palms (to avoid mucky and wet hands) and a back made of breathable material. “When you’re picking things like cucumbers that have those prickly vines, it’s really important that you’re protecting your fingers,” Pierre says.
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Best Tall Boots
Muck Boot Company Unisex Mossy Oak Country DNA Forager Tall Boot
Working in tall grass and other plants can leave you susceptible to insects and irritants like poison ivy, so having good, tall boots can help you avoid bringing unwanted pests into the house. Eierman’s favorite boots go all the way up to the back of her knee, easing any worries about ticks.
Best Slip In-and-Out Boots
Muck Boot Company Women’s Muckster II Mid Boot
A tall pair of muck boots is helpful for keeping out debris, but when you need to be running in and out of the house, you might have to prioritize being able to take them on and off easily. For that, SanSone recommends these boots.
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Best Basic Hand Trowel
DeWit X-Treme Hand Trowel
The ash wood handle of this trowel is durable and fits comfortably in your hand. Plus, the forged steel makes it a sturdy go-to pick for planting. “I know people like plastic handles because they’re cushy,” Morrell says. “But remember, you sweat. With grime, the tools slip. And sometimes you’re more apt to get calluses. I think a good wood handle will last a lot longer.”
Best Durable Hand Trowel
Wilcox All-Pro 202S 14″ All-Pro Trowel
For another trowel option, consider this pick from SanSone. The pointed shape of the trowel makes it extra easy to dig out weeds or plant bulbs. It also comes in several different lengths, so you can pick the one that’s most comfortable for you. “It’s pretty much indestructible and has lasted five seasons in my garden with heavy use,” SanSone says.
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Best Eco-Friendly Pot
Via Citrus 100% Recycled Maritime Plastic Pot
Why not give back to the earth while you’re working in the soil? SanSone recommends these 100 percent recycled maritime plastic pots as sturdy homes for your plants. They’re made from throwaway gear such as fishing nets, keeping them out of ocean waste. “I love that something that would end up choking out sea life is made into something useful for my garden,” SanSone says.
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